Ribbon winding device



m 1968 A. c. ZEAMER ET-AL Q 3,363,733

RIBBON WINDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 26, 1965 INVENTORS:

AARON C. ZIEAMER SAMUEL D. CAPPOTTO AGENIT United States Patent M 3,363,738 RIBBON WINDING DEVICE Aaron C. Zeamer, Grotou, and Samuel D. Cappotto, Syracuse, N.Y., assignors to SCM Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 509,776 2 Claims. (Cl. 197-151) This invention relates to typewriters or the like and more particularly to an improved means for power winding the ribbon from one spool to another.

In conventional ribbon equipped typewriters or like machines, it is often necessary to wind all of a used ribbon on one spool before replacing the used ribbon with a new ribbon. Power means for conveniently winding the used ribbon on one spool have previously been developed. However, said power means, such as disclosed by Patent 2,540,031, issued to W. P. Hazleton on Jan. 30, 1951, and by Patent 2,872,016, issued to A. H. Sharpe on Feb. 3, 1959, have the disadvantage of having an excessive number of parts which contribute to additional manufacturing costs and to increased chances of mechanical failure. Another disadvantage of both of these patents is that the operator control levers for actuating the winding devices are inconveniently located underneath the ribbon spool covers.

A main object of this invention is ot provide an improved power operated ribbon winding device for winding the ribbon on one or the other of the ribbon spools.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simplified, reliable and efiicient power operated ribbon winding device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a power operated ribbon winding device that requires fewer parts than known winding devices which is patricularly advantageous for compact, light weight, low cost portable typewriters.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simplified power operated ribbon winding device having the operator control lever conveniently operable from the keyboard.

These and other objects of this invention will become more fully apparent by reference to the appended claims and the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawing.

The single figure is a front perspective view of the power operated ribbon winding device in its normal inoperative position.

The drawing illustrates a typewriter having a rotatable power means supported on left side frame 12, a ribbon feeding mechanism 14 including a left ribbon spool 16 and a right ribbon spool 18 having a fabric ribbon 19 mounted thereon, and the simplified ribbon re-winding device 20 for directly coupling the power means 10' to the ribbon feed mechanism 14. This figure also illustrates the keyboard keys 22, a platen 24 and a type guide 26 which represents a conventional printing means in a typewriter. Ribbon feeding mechanism 14 includes a conventional single letter space ribbon feed means 28.

The power means 10 includes a motor 30 for rotating a relatively small diameter pulley 32 counter-clockwise in response to the operation of a clutch 34. A larger diameter pulley 36 is rotatably supported on frame 12 forward of pulley 32. A belt 38 interconnects pulleys 32 and 3'6. A second relatively small diameter pulley 40 is rigidly assembled to pulley 36 for rotation therewith. Another pulley 42 is rotatably supported on frame 12 forward of pulley 36. A belt 44 interconnects pulleys 40 and 42. A sleeve 46 made from a plastic material is rigidly assembled to pulley 42 for rotation therewith.

The counter-clockwise rotation of pulley 32 rotates sleeve 46 counter-clockwise. The rotatable power means 10 from motor 30 through pulley 42 is the drive train 3,363,738 Patented Jan. 16, 1968 ICQ used for rotating a key actuating snatch roll as described in Patent Re. 25,024 to I. P. Barkdoll, issued Aug. 15, 1961.

The ribbon mechanism 14 includes a shaft 50 rotatably supported by brackets (not shown) having a gear 52 positioned towards the left end and rigidly assembled thereon and a gear 54 positioned toward the right end and rigidly assembled thereon. Ribbon spool 16 is supported on a shaft 56 and engageable for rotation therewith. A gear 58 is rigidly assembled near the lower end of shaft 56. Ribbon spool 18 is supported on a shaft 60 and engageable for rotation therewith. A gear 62 is rigidly assembled near the lower end of shaft 60. Shaft 50' is axially shiftable to the left to engage gear 52 with gear 58 and shiftable to the right to engage gear 54 with gear 62. A sleeve 66 made from a similar plastic material as sleeve 46 is rigidly assembled at the left end of shaft 50.

The ribbon re-winding device 20 includes a key lever 70 pivotally supported on frame 12 by a shouldered screw 72 at an upward extending arm 74 located substantially midway of the lever. The forward portion of lever 70 includes an upward extending integral key stem 76 with a key button 78 located adjacent keys 22. Key lever 70 has an integral arm 80 located adjacent sleeve 46 with a small diameter pulley 82 piovtally mounted on a pin 84 which is rigidly assembled thereon. A second small diameter pulley 86 is rotatably mounted on a pin 88 which is rigidly assembled on lever 70 adjacent sleeve 66. An O-type endless belt 90 is supported on pulleys 82 and 86.

When motor 30 is energized, driving sleeve 46 rotates counter-clockwise. To wind the ribbon on one spool fast and conveniently, depressing key button 78 pivots lever 70 clockwise about screw 72 until the forward end of belt 90 frictionally engages driving sleeve 46. The orientation of the rearward end of belt 90 on lever 70 is such that belt 90 frictionally engages driven sleeve 66 substantially simultaneously as it engages driving sleeve 46. Belt 90 is rotated clockwise by driving sleeve 46 which, in turn, rotates driven sleeve 66 counter-clockwise. With shaft 50 positioned toward the left, gear 52 is engaged with gear 58. The counter-clockwise rotation of sleeve 66 rotates shaft 50 counter-clockwise which rotates ribbon spool 16 counter-clockwise thereby winding ribbon 19 on to spool 16. If shaft 50 had been positioned toward the right, the counter-clockwise rotation of shaft 50 would rotate ribbon spool 18 clockwise and thereby would wind ribbon 19 on spool 18. Belt 90 will continuously transmit the rotating force of driving sleeve 46 to driven sleeve 66 as long as lever 70 is held depressed which normally would be until all of the ribbon would be wound on either of the spools 16 or 18. Releasing key button 78 allows spring 92, which has one end connected to frame 12 and the other end connected to lever 70, to bias lever 70 upward to its normal disabled position determined by a lower rearward extending abutment 94 limiting against a bracket 96 which is rigidly assembled to frame 12 by screws 98. When lever 70 is returned to its disabled position, belt 90 disengages driving sleeve 46 and driven sleeve 66 thereby uncoupling the rotatable power means (sleeve 46) from the ribbon shaft 50.

Now it can be seen that the ribbon re-Winding device 20 provides the advantages of having an improved simplified construction and of being conveniently operable from the keyboard.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of a equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a power operated typewriter or the like having a ribbon re-winding mechanism com-prising:

(a) a normally idle ribbon rewind shaft; (b) a constantly rotating power drive shaft normally disengaged from said rewind shaft; (c) a keyboard controlled lever having two pulleys mounted for rotation thereon; (d) an endless belt mounted on said pulleys; and (e) means responsive to depression of said keyboard controlled lever for moving said pulleys and the belt in a direction to cause concurrent engagement of the belt with the drive shaft and the rewind shaft. 2. A power operated typewriter as defined in claim 1 in which the keyboard controlled lever is pivotally mounted intermediate said pulleys whereupon depression of the key lever moves one pulley and the endless belt into engagement with the drive shaft and concurrently therewith moves the other pulley and the endless belt into engagement with the rewind shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

E. T. WRIGHT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A POWER OPERATED TYPEWRITER OR THE LIKE HAVING A RIBBON RE-WINDING MECHANISM COMPRISING; (A) A NORMALLY IDLE RIBBON REWIND SHAFT; (B) A CONSTANTLY ROTATING POWER DRIVE SHAFT NORMALLY DISENGAGED FROM SAID REWIND SHAFT; (C) A KEYBOARD CONTROLLED LEVER HAVING TWO PULLEYS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION THEREON; (D) AN ENDLESS BELT MOUNTED ON SAID PULLEYS; AND (E) MEANS RESPONSIVE TO DEPRESSION OF SAID KEYBOARD CONTROLLED LEVER FOR MOVING SAID PULLEYS AND THE BELT IN A DIRECTION TO CAUSE CONCURRENT ENGAGEMENT OF THE BELT WITH THE DRIVE SHAFT AND THE REWIND SHAFT. 